Chain ladder



Sept. 21, 1943. H, P, Hopp ET AL 2,330,123

' CHAIN LADDER Filed Dec. 22, 1942 INVENTORS. /fwoAa P. Hopp Patented Sept. 21, 1943 CHAIN LADDER v Harold P. Hopp, Englewood, N. .1.,3 and vlldward Kunzelman, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assigvnors to v H. K. MetaLCraft Manufacturing Co.. New

- j york, N. Y.

Application neeemberz'z, 1942, serial No.V 469,793

4? claims. `(el. 22e- 40) This invention relates tonew and usefulimprovements in flexible ladders Vand more particularly it pertains to a novel construction for con'- necting rigid rungs to exible stiles in ladders'of the iiexible type. l

It is one object of the invention to provide a novel rigid connection between a rigid ladderY rung and a exible ladder stile. i l

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel construction which in addition to forming means for attachment of laddervrungs to ladder stiles, provides means for reinforcing the ladder rungs. f

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a rung and stile connection which is simple in construction and easy of assembly.

In the present embodiment, stiles in the' form of chains of the so-called lock link type have been illustrated, but it is to be understood that other types of flexible stiles may be employed without departing from the spiritof the'invention.

With the above and other objects in View, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, the following specication and the claims.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a view in elevation partly` broken away and partly in section illustrating a section of a flexible ladder constructed' in accordanceV with the present invention, y

Figure 2 is a View in elevation partly broken away and taken at right 'angles to Figure' l, v

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view onan en? larged scale taken substantially Figure 4 is a detail lsectional view on an enlarged scaletaken substantially on the line 4 4 of Figure 2,.and

Fgure5 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the stile of the ladder are designated Ill, the rungs being designated II.

The stiles l are formed from chain preferably of the so-called lock link type and consequently are of a flexible character.

The rungs II are of hollow construction being formed of sheet metal, are preferably substantially square in cross-sectional shape and have open ends.

Upon its tread surface I2, each rung is provided with two raised beads I3 which extend longitudinally thereof, there being one at each side of the tread surface as best illustrated in Figure of the drawing.

That Wall of the rung which is opposedtothe tread is formed of two sections I4 and I5l which are integral extensions of their respectiveV side walls of the rung andeach is formed with an in'4 wardly vturned flange It'. These flanges meet in' the ycompletion of the rungs as illustrated in Fig ure3 of the drawing. V

As best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing, this lastmentioned wall of the rung iS cut out or notched at its ends as at Il, the purpose of which will be hereinafter specically pointed out. V 'i The rungs Il are rigidly attached to the Stiles I0 with the rungs in spaced relationto one an-I extending flange or shoulder 2l which extends entirely around the opening. y

Each of the leg portions of` the clip I9 is provided with two openings 22 which are'so posi-I tioned in the leg portionsof the clip as to register d with the Yopenings 20 in the leg portions of the clip I8 when the clips'are properly nested.

The base portion of the clip I3 is formed with two spaced inwardly depressed channels 25 which receive the legs 26'of one of the links of thestile Illas best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawing. The legs 26 of the stile link Iare retained in their respective channels by the 4baseportion 2l ofthe clip I9 lwhen the clips are nested together and the clips are secured together by means of a rivet 28 which passes through the base portions of the clips at a point between the legs of the link.

Rigid bracing means is provided for the rung and the leg portions of the clips I8 and I9 and such means is herein illustrated as tubular mem-` Openings 3| are formed in the side walls of they rung Il and these openings are so located as to register with the openings 22 of the clip I9, the

openings 20 in the clip I8, and the passages of the tubular bracing members 3D when the nested clips are inserted into position in the open end of the rung.

The structure is assembled in the following manner.

The proper link of the stile having been determined, its side legs `26 are placed in the channels 25 in the base portionof the clip I8 after which the clip I8 is nested within the clip I9 and the clips are secured together by the rivet 28.

In securing the link between the base portions of the clips I3 and I9, the loop portion only of the link is engaged by the clips and as illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawing, the'base portion of the clip I8 is cut out as ai; 34 to accommodate the lock portion 35 of the link.

After the clips have been secured to the stile link, the leg portions thereof are slightly spread to permit of placement of the tubular bracing members 30 upon their supporting flanges or shoulders 2 I`.

The clips are nextI inserted into the end of the rung to a position in which the registered openings 20 and 22 in the leg portions thereof register with their respective openings 3| in the side walls of the rung.y In this position, the lock of the link passes into the cut oui; portion Il in the end of the bottom wall of the rung as illustrated in Figure 4.

With the parts in this position, rivets 36 are passed through the registered openings 3l, 2 and 2I, and the tubular bracing members 30 and up-V set to secure the parts together as a rigid structure.

In setting the rivets 33, the side walls of the rung and the leg portions of the clips I8 and I9 are firmly clamped between the heads of the rivets and their respective ends of the tubular bracing members 30.

The members 30 perform two functions as follows.

First, they prevent inward collapsing or bending of the leg portions of the clips, and the side walls of the rung at the end thereof, and secondly, they prevent bending of the rivets 35.

As illustrated in the drawing, the U-shaped clips I8 and I9 are so proportioned as to t snugly within the rung -thus making for a rigid connection when the several parts have been secured together. A

While in the foregoing, we have described but one means for attaching the rung to one stile,

it will be understood that the opposite end of the i 1. In a flexible ladder in combination, stiles, `a

hollow rung having open ends and means for at taching each end of the rung to its respective stile, said means comprising a pair of nested U- shaped clips adapted for insertion into each of the open ends of the rung, means for securing each pair of nested clips to its respective stile, means bridging the rung transversely thereof for securing each pair of nested clips to the rung, and means interposed between the nested clips for maintaining them in spaced relation.

2. In a chain ladder in combination, a pair of spaced chain stiles, a hollow rung of rectangular cross-sectional form having open ends and means for attaching each end of the rung to its respective stile, said means comprising a pair of nested U-shaped clipsadapted for insertion into each of the open ends ofthe rung with the legs of the outer clip in engagement with opposite side walls thereof, rigid bracing means disposed between the legs of the nested clips for maintaining them in spaced relation, means for securing each pair of nested clips to its respective stile, and means passing through the, side walls of the rung and the legs of the nested clips for securing the clips to the rungs.

3. In a flexible ladder in combination, a pair of spaced stiles, a hollow rung having open ends, and means for attaching each end of the rung to its respective stile, said means comprising a pair of nested U-shapsehd clips adapted for insertion into each of the open ends of the rung, `means for attaching each pair of nested clips to its respective stile, rigid tubular bracing means disposed between the legs of the nested clips to maintain them in spaced relation, and means passing through the side walls of the rung, the

legs of the nested clips and the rigid tubular bracing means for securing the clips to the sidewalls of the rungs.

4. In a chain ladder in combination, chain stiles, a hollow rung having open ends, and means for attaching each end of the rung to its respective stile, said means comprising a pair of nested U-shaped clips adapted for insertion into each of the open ends of the rung, means for attaching each of said pairs of nested clips to its respective stile with` a link of the stile disposed between the bases of the `nested clips, rigid tubular bracing means disposed between the legs of the nested clips for maintaining` them in spaced relation, means for supporting said rigid tubular bracing means in position between the legs of the clips, and means extending through the rigid tubular bracing means, the legs of the nested clips and the side walls of the rung for securing the nested clips in the openends of the rung.

HAROLD P. HOPP. EDWARD KUNZELMAN. 

